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Cauvery crisis: Mysore witnesses many protests

Traffic disrupted at many points in the city

‘Milk, but not water’:Milk vendors distributing buttermilk to passers-by during a protest in Mysore on Monday.— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Mysore witnessed a series of protests on Monday, triggered by the release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.

Representatives of various organisations and pro-Kannada activists staged protests in different ways to express their opposition to the release of water.

A faction of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike staged a protest at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here. Some of its activists climbed up the terrace of the Deputy Commissioner’s office and shouted slogans condemning the release of water to Tamil Nadu. “This is grave injustice to farmers of the State,” they said. They demanded that the release of water from the reservoirs be stopped immediately.

Vehicular traffic was affected for sometime when a group of pro-Kannada activists blocked the Mysore-Nanjangud Road near Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashram. Traffic resumed after the activists dispersed.

The rally was taken out from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. The protesters, later, presented a memorandum to authorities at the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

In a statement, the protesters demanded resignation of the State MPs to pressure the Centre to reconsider its decision on sharing of Cauvery waters. The State had been reeling under drought and farmers’ interests had been put at stake by releasing water to Tamil Nadu, they said.

They said the State’s prominent politicians should come together irrespective of party affiliations and work jointly to protect farmers’ interests.

During the rally, milk vendors shouted slogans such as ‘We will give milk, buttermilk but not Cauvery water’. Traffic at K.R. Circle was disrupted for a few minutes as several milk trucks passed through the junction.

Protests were staged at CADA office, Gandhi Square, and other places in the city by members of pro-Kannada activists and others protesting against the water release.